Tackling truancy with technology

Joseph Leckie Community Technology College in Walsall is tackling unauthorised absence with technology by installing the automatic parent notification system Truancy Call.

Truancy Call allows school staff to implement first day contact with parents of absentees via email, SMS text and voice calling to obtain a direct response from the parent without the need to invest in new telephone systems, additional phone lines or a new computer.

The system is also helping to safeguard pupil welfare in the area as both parents and the school are aware as soon as a child is missing.

Over 1,000,000 children are absent from school every year. On a typical school day there are 50,000 children who are not in school and with over eight million school days lost across the UK each year the Government has set a target to reduce the 2002/03 level of school absence by 8% by 2007/08.

By installing Truancy Call, Joseph Leckie Community Technology College – a secondary school with 1431 pupils – is taking positive steps to achieve this goal.

Once registration has been completed, the Truancy Call system automatically calls/texts or emails parents until a response is received.  Once a response is received any further calls that day are stopped automatically. 

Richard Thomas, Deputy Head teacher at Joseph Leckie Community Technology College, said: “Installing Truancy Call has made a real difference to our unauthorised absence levels.

"We have had a very pleasing reaction from the parents as the system reminds them that they must inform the school straight away if their child is absent. The system has also cut the amount of time we spend contacting the parents.

"Previously we had to call all the parents individually but now we press a button and Truancy Call does the job for us.”

Stephen Clarke, Managing Director of Truancy Call, said: “Joseph Leckie Community Technology College appreciates the necessity of contacting parents on the first day of their child’s absence.

"It is important that the school knows at all times where pupils are for their own safety and, should the child be missing, all parties can take immediate action.”